A new documentary exploring one of the most urgent questions of our time—who counts as an American
worker—is nearing completion, and its creators are calling on the labor community to help bring it across the finish line.
American Worker: The Labor to Belong is the debut feature documentary from filmmaker and union organizer Thien Kim (TK) Dinh, created in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker John Beder. Set against a backdrop of political upheaval and economic instability, the film examines how the definition of “American worker” has been constructed, contested, and enforced—and what that means for working people today.
Dinh, a Vietnamese immigrant and longtime labor and immigrant rights organizer based in Philadelphia, has spent more than a decade in movement work. In recent years, she has turned to filmmaking as a way to tell justice-centered stories, combining her organizing experience with a deep interest in history and cultural storytelling. A 2025 Brown Girls Doc Mafia Sustainable Artist Fellow, Dinh has been working on American Worker for the past four years while continuing her work as a union organizer.
The project has now reached a second rough cut—an important milestone that brings the film closer to release. With plans to premiere next year, the team is launching its first public fundraising campaign to support post-production, including editing, original music, motion graphics, and archival research.
The campaign is being hosted on Seed&Spark and runs through April 30. Organizers say they are close to reaching their goals and are asking supporters to contribute in three key ways:
- Donate to help close the post-production funding gap
- Follow the campaign to boost visibility
- Share the project widely across social networks
The film’s creators emphasize that American Worker is not just a documentary, but part of a broader effort to shift the narrative around labor, belonging, and identity in the United States. By centering the stories of workers—especially those often excluded from traditional definitions—the project aims to spark conversation and deepen understanding of the forces shaping today’s workforce.
As the campaign enters its final stretch, supporters have an opportunity to help bring this timely and important story to audiences nationwide.
Click here to learn more, follow, and support the campaign.